The present invention relates to motor vehicle signal lights systems, and more particularly, to a brake light enhancer circuit which may be inserted into a conventional motor vehicle lighting system to provide a more eye catching brake or deceleration signal to following drivers.
It has long been known that intermittently flashing or pulsing lights attract more attention than lights which are steadily or continuously illuminated. Thus, flashing turn signal lights are used on the rear of motor vehicles to insure that following drivers are warned of an impending turn. It is conventional, however, to provide left and right rear brake lamps which are continuously illuminated so long as the brake light switch remains closed by continuous pressure on the brake pedal.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,210 of Sullivan, granted Sept. 6, 1983, there is disclosed a brake light enhancer circuit which may be inserted into a conventional motor vehicle lighting system to provide a more eye catching braking or deceleration signal to following drivers. The circuit of the Sullivan invention may be connected between the rear signal lamps, brake light switch and flasher in a conventional vehicle lighting system. It includes a timer or pulse generator, a counter and a disable latch. In motor vehicles having a pair of left and right rear turn signal lamps and a pair of left and right rear brake lamps, closure of the brake light switch when the turn signal switch is in its neutral position will cause the brake lamps to flash on and off a predetermined number of times, and thereafter remain continuously illuminated. The Sullivan brake light enhancer circuit is disabled when the turn signal switch is moved to either its left or right turn position. In this condition, the turn and brake light signals are conventional, thereby preventing confusion of following drivers.
While the brake light enhancer circuit of the '210 Sullivan patent is an improvement over conventional vehicle brake lighting systems, it has been found that still further improvement is required before Government agencies, such as the National Highway Transportation and Safety Board, will permit utilization of the same. More specifically, it would be desirable to provide such a brake light enhancer circuit with fail safe protection, so that should any component of the enhancer circuit fail, conventional operation of the brake lights will not be impaired.